Google’s Plan to Bring Free Superfast Wi-Fi to the World Has Begun

Your prayers have been finally answered – that is, if you asked for Google to come to New York City with free Wi-Fi for all. Because that’s totally happening this year, and it’s all part of Google’s grandiose plan to bring free Wi-Fi to the world.

According to Bloomberg, Google has already set up a company that’ll handle the free Wi-Fi job in the Big Apple. Sidewalk Labs is the Google-backed startup that will turn 10,000 of New York’s old phone booths into ad-supported Wi-Fi pylons this September.

The company is leading a group of investors that are buying Control Group and Titan, companies working on covering New York City with free, superfast Wi-Fi.

The booths will provide cell-phone charging, free domestic phone calls and a touchscreen-based information point that delivers city and transit directions. Their most important feature will be free Wi-Fi Internet access though, and each pylon will have a range of 150 feet.

Each pylon will also deliver advertising on the sides, with the program expected to bring $500 million in ad revenue to the city over the next 12 years.